Virendra Mishra, PhD: Previous Data on Parkinson Disease Dementia

"It is not a very clear picture. In fact, it’s actually quite muddy. We don’t know how it exactly works because it is not the classical Alzheimer disease where most participants will get hippocampal atrophy.”

Virendra Mishra, PhD, was recently tasked with leading a research project that will use biomarkers to develop a predictive mathematical model to identify specific individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) who may develop dementia. Mishra, an associate staff researcher at Cleveland Clinic, claims that dementia affects nearly 50% to 80% of those living with PD within 12 years of diagnosis.

While the prevalence of PD dementia has been documented through research, there still remains no single test—or combination of tests—that conclusively determines if a person has PD dementia. Previous studies have suggested that there is overlap within the hippocampal region, which has provided more knowledge on the similarities between the 2 disorders. Although this has been an area of high observation, Mishra claims there are multiple regions that need to be focused on, in order to accurately predict PD dementia.

In an interview with NeurologyLive, Mishra discussed what has been previously observed in PD dementia, and the areas of concern that still need further examination.